Conventional aircraft rely on forward thrusters and wing design to generate the required lift for take-off and to maintain cruising altitude. These aircraft however require more powerful engines and wing sizes of greater thickness and size for landing and take-off than are required to maintain the aircraft's speed and altitude at normal cruise height. The engines are thus heavier and the wings create more drag than is necessary to sustain the aircraft at cruising altitudes. In addition, conventional aircraft require very strong and relatively heavy landing gear in order to sustain the forces involved in landing the aircraft at their required landing speeds. The excessive weight of these components reduces load carrying capacity and efficiency during normal flight of the aircraft.
Various known modified aircraft have been arranged for vertical take-off to avoid the problems normally associated with taking off and landing of conventional aircraft. These modified aircraft generally use separate engines for vertical and horizontal thrust or require complex mechanisms to generate both the vertical and horizontal thrust and maintain directional stability. These known designs are thus generally complex and costly and result in reduced efficiency and economy.